1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cleaning and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for cleaning a longitudinally extending member such as a tool or workpiece with a plurality of cleaning components such as a plurality of cleaning brushes and a cleaning solvent.
2. Background of the Invention
Various types of apparatuses and machines have been proposed in the art for cleaning workpieces and the like. In many cases, the tool or workpiece is immersed within a reservoir containing a cleaning solvent for cleaning workpieces and the like. To further assist in the cleaning process, agitation or brushing may be undertaken within the reservoir for cleaning the tools or workpieces.
Difficultly is encountered when the tool or workpiece is of an awkward shape. For example, the tool or workpiece may have a relatively small cross-section but have a relatively long longitudinal length thereby defining a longitudinally extending member. The long longitudinal length of the longitudinally extending member prohibits the immersion of the tool or workpiece into many of the cleaning tanks of the prior art.
A specific example of a tool that defines a longitudinally extending member is a squeegee found in the screen printing process. In the screen printing process, a screen having a multiplicity of pores is stretched within a frame. The multiplicity of pores are selectively blocked for providing an image with the unblocked pores. The screen is placed upon a printing substrate and a printing pigment is pressed through the unblocked pores of the screen onto the printing substrate. The printing pigment is generally pressed through the pores of the screen with the use of a squeegee. Upon removal of the screen, an image formed by the printed pigment remains on the printing substrate.
The squeegee comprises a longitudinally extended handle for supporting a resilient longitudinally extending squeegee blade. The squeegee blade typically comprises a first and a second lateral surface and a bottom surface. The first and second lateral surfaces are parallel to one another and are generally disposed perpendicular to the bottom surface. Printing squeegees may be found in various lengths from one to six feet depending on the size of the printing task.
After the printing process is completed, the squeegee must be cleaned for re-use. Some in the prior art have attempted to provide a machine for cleaning a printing squeegee. U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,760 disclosed an apparatus with a rotatable frame located within a housing. The printing squeegee was placed on the frame and a cleaning fluid was sprayed onto the squeegee. Plural slidable scrubbers scrubbed each of the printing squeegee.
Unfortunately, U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,760 was complicated and expensive and will not receive a printing squeegee having a large longitudinal length. Furthermore, the complexity of this apparatus made the apparatus difficult to clean. The aforementioned patent also had the disadvantage of cleaning the squeegee handle along with the squeegee blade.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for cleaning a longitudinally extending member wherein the apparatus is capable of cleaning the longitudinal extending member irrespective of the longitudinal length thereof.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for cleaning a longitudinally extending member wherein the longitudinally extending member is cleaned without an immersion process.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for cleaning a longitudinally extending member wherein the squeegee blade can be cleaned without immersing the squeegee handle.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for cleaning a longitudinally extending member wherein the apparatus comprises a first, second, and third cleaning component for respectively cleaning a first and a second lateral surface and a bottom surface.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for cleaning a longitudinally extending member wherein the longitudinally extending member may be passed through the apparatus by hand or automated means.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for cleaning a longitudinally extending member wherein the longitudinally extending member may be passed through the apparatus a second time in the remote event the longitudinally extending member was not totally cleaned the first time.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for cleaning a longitudinally extending member wherein the longitudinally extending member may be passed through the improved apparatus at a rate sufficient to enable the improved apparatus to thoroughly clean the longitudinally extending member.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for cleaning a longitudinally extending member wherein the improved apparatus is inexpensive and is small in size.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for cleaning a longitudinally extending member wherein the improved apparatus is easy to clean.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention with in the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment of the invention.